And1 ballers back in town

You’ve got to see it to believe it. That’s friendly advice for those who’ve only heard about the incredible, magical things the And1 Mix Tape Tour guys do with the ball during a "street" game.

Last year, And1 introduced local fans to the Mix Tape Tour and fans were amazed at the way the ballers handled the rock.

The players put on a convincing performance that would shame the Harlem Globetrotters. They did tricks nobody ever imagined were doable and played serious, too.

Seven of last year’s gang are back for an encore. Their names should ring a bell. They’re among the slickest exponents of "street" ball this side of Rucker park. 6-5 John (High Octane) Harvey, 6-7 Anthony (Go Get It) Jones, 6-4 Waliyy (Main Event) Dixon, 5-10 Dennis (Spyda) Chism, 5-10 Grayson (The Professor) Boucher, 6-7 Lonnie (Prime Objective) Harrell and 5-7 Jamar (The Pharmacist) Davis promise to outdo themselves and kick up a storm that will make repeat customers forget what they saw last year.

The returnees are joined by 6-6 Anthony (Half-Man, Half-Amazing) Heyward and 6-8 Robert (50) Martin. If you ask Heyward if he stole Vince Carter’s nickname, he’ll tell you it was the other way around. As for Martin, he’s called 50 not because that’s how much he averages a game (is it close") or how old he is (he’s 32) but that’s how high he jumps–his vertical leap is 50 inches.

To refresh your memory, the And1 Mix Tape Tour is the official, authentic playground basketball event that features the world’s meanest streetballers taking on the best hoopsters bold enough to step onto the court for a game in each city they barnstorm.

It begins with an "open run" where anyone, 18 and above, can try out for a spot on the challenging host city team.

This year, Relzbach Ventures–And1’s exclusive distributor here and in at least six other countries–is staging the "open run" at the Araneta Coliseum south gate parking lot with the And1 guys watching from the sidelines. Registration of players starts at 7:30 a.m. and the first scrimmage is set at 9 a.m. Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) cager and Alaska assistant coach Dicky Bachmann will pick the top six to eight players from the tryouts and enlist them for the challenging team that later plays the Mix Tape Tour squad in a "street" game at 4 p.m.

Dicky says the challenging team won’t be easy prey for the visitors. He’s making sure of that. Dicky’s recruits are NCAA MVP Boyet Bautista and Letran teammate Aaron Aban, San Beda’s Chico Tirona and 6-7 Miguel Butcher, 5-2 discovery Nino (The Wizard) Ventura who ran rings around the And1 ballers last year, two standouts from the Guam "open run" and possibly, two Philippine Basketball League stars.

The lucky players on the challenging team will receive free And1 shoes and uniforms.

This morning, Relzbach president Bob Bachmann will present the eight And1 ballers to media at the Discovery Suites. There will be an open forum and a chance for reporters to talk to the players one-on-one.

A raffle will be conducted at the end of the press conference where 10 And1 gift certificates worth P3,000 each will be given away.

Accompanying the players to Manila are former PBA import Steve Burtt, Lisa Fusco, Mandy Murphy, Mark Whitelaw and Thomas Mills. The group arrived from Japan the other day.

Bob says And1’s success story is evident in the way the Philippine market has embraced its footwear, apparel and accessories. And1 is now available nationwide in selected department, sporting goods and specialty stores. Additionally, Relzbach has five playground stores that showcase the complete line of And1 products.

Bob adds that a recent survey revealed that 30 percent of all PBA players wear And1 whether or not they’re endorsers. Among the And1 endorsers are Jimmy Alapag, Willie Miller, Dondon Hontiveros, Lordy Tugade, Kerby Raymundo, Danny Seigle, Mike Cortez, Noy Castillo and Vince Hizon.

Don’t fail to watch the "street" game on Sunday, 4 p.m., at the Araneta Coliseum. And if you think you’re man enough, try out for the challenging team–register at 7:30 a.m. and start showing your wares at 9:30 a.m. And1 might just make your dreams come true.

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Nike is making available three pairs of the limited edition Zoom LeBron III China Exclusive Colorway for an auction to the public today. The shoe sizes are 9, 9 1/2 and 10.

Only 1,000 pairs of this specialty shoe are in the market and may be bought exclusively in China. Each pair has a unique series number in the lining, making it one-of-a-kind. It comes in an exquisite box lined with velvet and has a special LeBron James hangtag inside.

King James wore the lightweight shoe, designed particularly for him, in a National Basketball Association game against Memphis last Nov. 12. The day before, Nike endorser and And1 star Ronald Tubid wore the same model in a Philippine Basketball Association contest.

None of the China colorway series will be sold in the Philippines. So the only way you can get a pair is to bid for it and top the auction. The mechanics are simple. Visit select Nike stores and fill out an official auction stub, indicating the size you want and the amount you’re bidding along with other related personal details.

Bidding is just for one day–that’s today–and will close at the end of store hours tonight. The winning bids will be announced on Dec. 4 and all proceeds from the auction will be donated to Gawad Kalinga.

It goes without saying that each Zoom LeBron III China Exclusive Colorway pair is a collector’s item.

As for the regular Zoom LeBron III model, it’ll be launched today in the Philippines. The retail price is P7,295.

The shoe features metal eyelets that lock the foot down securely, leather overlays for extra lateral stability support, lightweight and breathable mesh, large-volume Zoom air units, carbon fiber shank plate, solid rubber for durability and modified herring-bone pattern for excellent traction.